He looked me over and asked, “Who are you anyway?”
How do you respond to a question like that? Okay, I confess, I’ve gone out in public covered in oil paint, with a paint brush holding back my hair in a bun.
“I’m a human,” I said bravely, then I added in a bolder voice, “With a spirit!”
We Have Questions
People size us up all the time. Lately, folks are asking me, “What in the world are you doing? And why?!” Technically, I don’t think that’s a question. It’s more of a not-so-subtle opinion.
But, I have my own questions: Who are you, my dear reader? Which topics bug you because no one wants to have a civil conversation any more? Is there anything you wish you could talk about at home or at church, but everyone else tells you to shut up? When people think you’re crazy, what’s the topic they think is dumb? What do you want to talk about?
Most importantly, are we hitting the stuff you care about with our Camp Krafve blog and Fireside Talk Radio? We want to get healthy conversations started around tough topics, so what you think truly matters to us.
In a World of Humans, Readers Matter
You, the reader, have the most important role in what we are doing. All of us are getting swamped with junk information, much of it fear mongering. Together, with your help and input, we can share and pass along ideas from wise people who are unafraid and embrace victory!
There are moments of rare relief, when it seems someone gets the what and why of this adventure my family is graciously taking with me. For instance, take the message I got out of the blue this week.
Some Folks Get It
“A look at your background and at your website pretty much blows me away,” wrote Adam Colwell via LinkedIn, “One of the links I found identified you as an author, but for the life of me I couldn’t find a book to your credit.” Adam, President of Adam Colwell’s Write Works, initiated with Camp Krafve, offering to help us. He found us on the web because of the tremendous help I’ve gotten from a host of friends, most especially Sandra Beck of Beck Multimedia.
Adam can’t find my books because both manuscripts are with my amazing editor, Christi McGuire. Her job is to keep me from embarrassing my family in public by publishing something, well, I was gonna say half you-know-what, but that phrase seemed tacky. I hate to embarrass the people editing my other work by being tacky here.
So, for now, I’m a writer-slash-almost-author. Did you know there’s such thing as a content editor? Yep, the latest book (on fear) is getting a head-start because I found a great content editor, Erin Brown, to help me formulate the ideas before I ever start writing chapters. How awesome is that?!
Adam’s got “street cred,” as my son used to say about people who knew what they were doing. Suddenly, instead of plodding along wondering about my own sanity, I felt a lift. Somebody else saw the potential of this engrossing family project to leave the culture better than we found it. Leaving the campsite/culture better than we found it is a big goal, but with collaboration, achievable.
Your Platform, Not “Mine”
Adam found us on the internet, thanks to all the amazing people who’ve already collaborated by setting up what we euphemistically call “my” platform. Wow. Why am I putting “my” in quotes? Because my favorite part of what we’re doing is giving heroic people a place to tell their stories. It’s “their” platform – your platform – not mine. These heroic people are my personal friends. Some of them I’ve met because they created a book with ideas I admire (like in the books pictured above.) We’re simply passing along their good ideas and wisdom.
The best help, though, has been from readers and listeners. Thank you for all you’ve done to get the word out. Your suggestions and help are dear to my heart.
Anyway, I’m mostly accidental on all this social media stuff. If you don’t believe me, search an old column I wrote called, “Facebook Loser.” In a million years, I never thought I’d blog. But, next thing I know, I listened to the amazing Social Media Guru Sandra Beck, and yes, now I blog. It took her a year to convince me to try.
Then, another year later, when my friend Neita Fran Ward introduced me on her show, Art Connections, as a blogger, I owned it. Honestly, there’s still a part of me that thinks, Oh no, I’ll never be a real blogger!
“Almost” Author Needs Prayer
Plus, my amazing editor, Christi McGuire of Christian Editor Connection, agreed to work with me. (Thankfully, she never saw the first manuscript before Sandra helped me rewrite it a dozen times.) But, when Christi dissected the first chapter, I didn’t get discouraged. Instead, I thanked her for invaluable help. Anyway, rewriting is my wheelhouse now.
Frankly, this writing-a-book-thing is a whole lot harder than I thought. This morning I changed author to “almost author” where ever I could find it in my links. If you think of me, please pray the books will take their final, rewritten-to-the-max form soon. I’m beggin’ ya: please pray!
We love to hear from you!
Seriously, what do you want to talk about? Which topics bug? Has anyone made you feel dumb or crazy because you were brave enough to bring up a taboo topic? (Keep scrolling to the end for the comment box. I read each and every comment. Your perspective matters to me.)
May I pray for you?
Dear Father in heaven, thank You from the bottom of my heart for all those kindred spirits who understand our culture’s need for hope, optimism, and encouragement. You speak straight talk to us, so we can have conversational adventures with each other. Thank You for filling the scriptures with wisdom and truth to equip us for whatever today brings. You are a great God and we are privileged to serve You. If this beloved reading friend does not know You well, I pray You would reveal Yourself today in the small things. Open our eyes to Your mini-miracles. Help us embrace Your love as You lavishly pour it out upon us in warm sunshine, fresh air, and caring friends. Give us strength for the day ahead. We pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.
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Cathy Krafve, Texas Columnist, Speaker, Radio Host, and “almost” Author focusing on fellowship in Marriage, Family, and Community, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
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